I’ve spent a good majority of today finishing packing for a week long trip to Florida that the kids and I are leaving for in the morning. In light of the summertime travels I thought I’d share my tips for packing with multiple little ones.
The Bags
Normally I have one large suitcase which I cram all of our families items in, however for this particular trip my husband is away in another country and needed the big bag. So, I opted for 3 carryon suitcases, our beach bag, and a duffle bag with our toiletries. 1 carryon bag is for me, 1 for the boys to share, and 1 for the girls to share. We will also have access to a washer and dryer at my family’s home so if we need to do a load of laundry (which I typically do mid-way through our trip) I will be able to do so.
Mom’s Bag
Inside my bag for our 7 day trip (2 days of travel) is 3 bathing suits, 4 pairs of shorts, 4 tops, 2 dresses, 3 pairs of pajamas, bras and underwear, 1 pair of sandals, 1 pair of nicer shoes, 1 pair of tennis shoes (which will be worn by me when I’m driving so I didn’t technically pack those), 2 baseball caps, and a jean jacket.
Boy’s Bag
2 pairs of swim trunks each, 2 swim shirts, 5 outfits for each boy plus 2 extra shirts each, undies and socks, a pair of sandals each, pull-ups for Knox for nighttime (and a few nerf bullets Knox insisted on packing).
Girl’s Bag
2 swimsuits for each girl, lots of swim diapers for Millie, pull-ups for Emma for nighttime, 5 outfits for each girl plus an extra dress for each, undies for Emma, 2 pairs of pajamas each, and since they will wear their sandals in the car-- no shoes in the bag.
Our Beach Bag
I love our Bogg bag. Although it feels kinda clunky, it is lightweight, holds a lot, and is easy to clean! Inside our beach bag I have a towel for each of us, sunscreen and a beauty blender (the easiest way to spread the sunscreen on little one’s faces), aloe for after pool time or beach days, extra swim diapers, sunglasses for the boys and myself, 2 books (that I will probably never open but will wish I brought if I didn’t bring them), a water bottle for each of us, goggles for the kids, water enhancers, and baby powder to get sand off (this only works if you are dry. Don’t try to put it on if you rinse off or you will have a globby mess!)
Not in the beach bag but also bringing along for the beach-- Swim floats for the kids, a beach umbrella, a few small beach toys (majority of those are already at my parents house along with large pool floats).
Our Toiletry Bag
All of your typical toiletries- shampoo, conditioner, soap, face wash, toothbrushes, and toothpastes, makeup, etc.
I also like to bring along an extra razor when I go to the beach as well as an extra pair of contacts in case I loose a pair in the pool or at the beach. Sometimes I also pack a few teeth whitening strips and some eye gel masks (which feel heavenly after a day in the sun).
A few feminine products JUST IN CASE I happen to start my period early.
I also pack my Bible and journal in this bag as well as some extra kids medicines just in case we have an illness on our trip that my mom wouldn’t necessarily have medicine on hand for.
A ziploc with hair goodies for the girls: hair ties, clips, and bows.
For the Car
I use a recyclable grocery bag for some car snacks and drinks. A couple trash bags… you know why. A roll of paper towels, our normally stocked diaper bag, an extra pack of wipes, my sunglasses, and dog essentials such as leash, collar, and drink cup.
Extra things for the baby/kids
a few extra bottles
a sound machine
stroller
carrier/wrap
our highchair attachment for when we are at my parent’s house
luckily we don’t have to bring a pack n’ play since my parents have one at their house for us.
I usually buy a box of diapers when I get to our destination instead of packing a ton of diapers. Then I’ll just bring back what is leftover.
Our timeout timer and paddle- because discipline doesn’t stop when the vacation begins.
They each can bring 1 toy and 1 stuffed animal with them.
Other Items I bring along
A pack of TigerBalm patches- my body always aches after a day of driving
My headphones
Laptop and charger for work on the go
My big camera with fresh memory card and an extra battery
Phone Charger
A notebook and pen- in case I have things I need to write down while I’m there
Check out my Amazon list for a lot of my favorite things mentioned above... now back to packing!
Hello Jude Photography provides newborn photography in North Georgia for busy moms who want a stress-free and luxury portrait experience. Also offering maternity, family, and baby photography, our studio is located in the heart of Clarkesville, between Clayton and Gainesville. We serve families in Habersham, White, Stephens, Hall, Rabun, Banks, Jackson, Gwinnett, Forsyth, and Dekalb Counties, and all throughout the North Georgia region. We offer a high-end, full service experience including a pre-session consultation, exclusive access to the carefully curated Studio Wardrobe and cozy bright and airy studio space, a beautiful gallery of story-telling images, and an array of family heirlooms such as albums, prints, custom framing and more to pass down to your children. If you are searching for the perfect maternity, birth, newborn or family portrait photographer near Clarkesville and are wanting to create heirlooms for your family, we can’t wait to serve you.